Shaft-coupling.



0. A. GARLSDN.

SHAFT COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED rmm, 1910.

970,793. Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

' shaft couplin novel features in the claims.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. CARLSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CARLSON MOTOR & TRUCK COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHAFT-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Application filed February 2, 1910. Serial No. 541,414.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. CARLSUN, a citizen of the United States of-America, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft- Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to lmprovements in s, and particularl to a form of shaft coupling permitting re ative angular adjustment of the shaft members thus cou led.

1 y invention consists in two clutch elements connected to the shafts to be coupled,

one of them being movable longitudinally upon its shaft with respect to the other, and

spring pressed toward the other, the said elements being provided with portions for coengagement in different relative angular positions thereof.

My invention also consists in a certain novel construction and arrangement of parts wherein universal movements are permitted within slight limits between the coupling members, whereby the shafts may be per 'mitted to run freely when their axes are slightly. out of line with each other.

In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof,having reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the same, and \Vlll then point out the In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in coupling constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view theret-hrough upon the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa view in longitudinal section at right angles to the plane of section of Fig. 1. 'Fig. 4 isa detail view in perspective of one of the coupling elements employed. Fig. 5 isa detail view in transverse section showing the engagement of the same with its complementary coupling element.

The shaft coupling comprises in general two elements and 11 connected to shafts 12 and 13 respectively. The coupling ele- 1110111, 10 includes a transverse bar 14 mountcd in a longitudinal slot 15 in the end of the shaft 12, the said bar being arranged to have have a limited longitudinal movement with respect to the said shaft. The coupling element 11 comprises a disk having a plurality of laterally n'ojecting teeth 16, such teeth arranged to project in a direction parallel with the axis of the said shafts and upon the side of the disk adjacent to the element 10. The bar 14 has portions 17 at the extremities thereof arranged for coaction with teeth of the element 11 upon diametrically opposite. sides thereof, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings. The coupling element 10 includes a housing 18 which is secured fast to the bar 14 and incloses the same, and furthermore'it extends beyond the said bar to a distance sufficient to inclose the periphery of the element 11. Disposed around the shaft 12 and between the rear of this casing 18 and a collar 19 u on the shaft, is a helical spring 20; the sait spring just the relation of the shafts l2 and 13 with respect to each other; then by releasing the element 10 the spring 20 will cause the recngagement of the parts and the shafts will be coupled as before. The outside of the casing 18 is conveniently knurled to permit of its ready manipulation, and it will thus be seen that thedevice constitutes an exceedingly simple form of angularly adjustable coupling means between two shafts, such as is inex )ensive to manufacture, positive in its operation, and unlikely to et out of order.

The projections 17 of the bar 14 are preferably curved slightly in a direction'parallel with the axis of the shaft, while theside faces of the teeth '16 are preferably parallel, all as will be well understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. This construction, considered in conjunction with the limited longitudinal play permitted between the portions 17 of the bar 14 and the teeth 16 of the element 11, permits of a substantially universal movement between the two shafts within small limits so that one shaft may be driven from the other without binding. even though their axes be not exactly in line with each other.

A shaft coupling of this kind may, of

engine employed in motor vehicles.

course, be applied to many uses, but it is primarily for connecting a magneto generator to the shaft of an lnternal combust1on The generator being made as a separate part i from the engine is often mounted slightly out of line with a portion of the engine with which it is arran ed in driving relation, and the-slight flexibility permitted is very useful in preventing the enerator shaft from binding and the parts from badly wearing. The angular adjustment provided for permits of the generator being properly timed in relation to the engine in a simple manner, and it permits of the same beingreadjusted or retimed at any time by the mere retraction by handof the element 10 and the move- Kit.

ment thereof to its proper position with re lation to the element 11.

What I claim is: p

1. The combination with two shafts, of a coupling therefor comprising two elements secured fast to the shafts respectively but movable longitudinally the one with relation to the other, one of the said elements comprising a transversely disposed bar and a cylindrical casing'secured thereto, and the other a disk provided with a plurality of annularly disposed teeth for engagement withthe opposite extremities of the said bar; and a spring for pressing the two said elements together.

- 2. The combination with two shafts, of a coupling therefor comprising an element ada ted to be secured fast to one of the said sha ts andprovided with a plurality of annularly disposed teeth, another element comprising a bar arranged to be mounted in a longitudinal slot in the other shaft whereby the said bar will turn with the shaft but will be permitted a longitudinal movement with respect thereto, the extremities of the said bar being adapted for engagement with the longitudinal slot in the other said shaft whereby the said bar will turnwvith the shaft but will be permitted a'longitudinal move- I nent with respect thereto, the extremities of;

the said bar being adapted for engagement with the teeth of the first said element, and

a cylindrical housing secured, to the said bar and extending over the first said element, and a spring for pressing the'second said element toward the first said element.

{.t. The combination with two shafts, of a coupling therefor comprising two elements secured fast to the said shafts, respectively, but movable longitudinally, the one with relation to the other, one of the said elements including a plurality of annularly disposed teeth having their opposite sides parallel with each other, and the other a transverse bar provided with curved faced extremities for engagement with the parallel sides of the said teeth, thereby permitting slight relative angular axial movements but retaining driving relation in both directions of rotation.

5. The combination with two shafts one of which is provided with a longitudinal transverse slot, of a coupling for the said shafts comprising an element adapted to be secured fast to one of the said shafts and provided with a plurality of annularly disposed teeth having parallel side faces, another element comprlsinga bar arranged to be mounted in the slot in the other said shaft whereby the said bar will turn with the shaft but will be permitted a longitudinal movement with respect thereto, the extremities of the said bar having lateral curved faces adapted for c0- engagement with the teeth of the first said element, and a'spring for pressing the two said elements together. v

6. The combination with two shafts one of which is provided with a longitudinal transverse slot, of a coupling for the said shafts comprising an element adapted to be'secured fast to one of the said shafts and provided with a plurality of annularly disposed teeth having parallel side faces, anotherelement comprising a bar arranged to be mounted in the slot in the other said shaft whereby the said bar will turn with the shaft but will be permitted a longitudinal movementwith respect thereto, the extremities of the said bar having lateral curved faces adapted for coengagement with the teeth of the first said element, and a housing for 1nclos1ng the said bar and having a portion arranged to extend over the first said element, and a spring for pressing the two said elements together.

CHARLES A. CARLSON.

Witnesses:

D. HOWARD HAYWOOD, Lyman S. ANDREWS, Jr. 

